The present invention relates generally to grain drying structures and more particularly to a grain drying structure utilizing solar energy.
With the change in harvesting, that is, from ear-corn to shelled corn, a corresponding change in types of storage structures has occured. The wooden corn crib for ear corn has virtually disappeared in favor of the round, steel bin for shelled corn. Furthermore, with the advent of heated air drying, excess moisture conditions, precipitated by heated air and use of open flames, completely eliminated the practicality of wooden structures.
By understanding natural curing and applying it in a controlled method, wherein drying becomes a chill-curing process eliminating use of open flames, saturated moisture conditions that occur with heated air are not present so that it becomes feasible to reconsider usage of wooden structures. The well known insulating qualities of wood are beneficial in keeping a more stable temperature in grain. The renewable resource of wood is also important in light of the non-renewing resources of iron and zinc used in metal bins. Woodworking tools and wood building contractors are more commonly available, and the art of wood construction is less specialized and generally less expensive than the art of steel construction.
Further, there is a need for grain drying equipment utilizing all the advantages of wood adapted to be used in combination with solar heat as the source of energy.